Flags to fly at half-staff for late soldierLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Flags at the Arkansas Capitol are being flown at half-staff to mark the death of a soldier from Little Rock who was killed in Afghanistan. The Defense Department announced Wednesday that Sgt. Jamar Hicks died at Forward Operating Base Salerno during a Sunday attack. Soldiers from Idaho and Texas were also killed in the attack. Gov. Mike Beebe’s office says Arkansas flags may be flown at half-staff at any Arkansas public buil...

Pine Bluff man wins 2 big jackpots in 2 weeks PINE BLUFF(AP) — A Pine Bluff man has taken home $1.25 million from a pair of Arkansas lottery jackpots that he won over the span of two weeks. Billy Bealer on Tuesday claimed a $1 million prize that he won from a $20 instant game. On July 29, Bealer won $250,000 from the Natural State Jackpot draw game. Bealer says he paid off his bills with money from the $250,000 prize and that he plans to keep the proceeds of the $1 million ticket in the b...

Pipeline safety expert to speak at Clinton School LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A former regulator with the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is scheduled to give a talk at the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. Brigham McCown is to speak at the school’s downtown campus at noon, Aug. 20. McCown is a former acting administrator of the agency and is now managing director of United Transportation Advisors LLC in Dallas, where he advises private sector clients. Ear...

Utility pleads that people not steal wiresMAGNOLIA (AP) — Arkansas largest electric utility is warning that people who attempt to steal copper wires can die when trying to do so. Entergy Arkansas said Tuesday that while a suspect in the theft of 12,000 pounds of copper is facing charges in Columbia County, a threat more serious than prosecution is electrocution. “Besides being dangerous and illegal, copper theft hurts everybody,” line supervisor Blake Gore of Magnolia said. “When thie...

Parolee pleads not guilty to killing manLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A convict who remained free despite numerous parole violations has pleaded not guilty to killing an 18-year-old man in Little Rock. Darrell Dennis, 47 entered the plea Tuesday in Pulaski County Circuit Court to charges of capital murder, kidnapping and aggravated robbery in the May 10 death of Forrest Abrams. Dennis told reporters as he was being led from the courtroom that he did not kill Abrams. Prosecutors say they haven’...

Walnut Ridge teen died of blows to the head WALNUT RIDGE (AP) — An autopsy report says a 14-year-old Walnut Ridge girl found dead in the Black River died of blows to the head with a heavy object. The report released by Arkansas State Police says Sidney Randall was hit more than once in head and that her DNA was found under the fingernails of her now-dead stepfather — John Cornell. State Police Sgt. Scott Pillow told The Jonesboro Sun all evidence points to Cornell as the killer. Randall...

Arkansas gets top-10 rating in royalties FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — The University of Arkansas says it’s in the top 10 for generating royalties for school-themed merchandise. The UA said Monday that the distinction marks the first time Arkansas has been in the top 10 for marketing since it partnered with IMG College in 1988. The Collegiate Licensing Co. says Arkansas moved up four spots from last year, which put the school in the top 10. For the fiscal year that ended June 30, Arkansas says...

Man who survived gunshot charged with murderFORT SMITH (AP) — A man in Fort Smith who survived a critical injury from a gunshot wound to the head was charged with capital murder Monday for the death of his former father-in-law, who was killed during the incident. Fort Smith police said Michael Ray Underwood was wounded on June 13 and treated at hospitals in Little Rock and Fort Smith. Authorities charged him on Monday after he was released from medical care. Angela Underwood had complai...

12-year-old unearths diamond at Crater of Diamonds MURFREESBORO (AP) — A 12-year-old North Carolina boy on vacation with his family has unearthed a 5.16 carat diamond at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park. Park officials said Saturday that Michael Dettlaff of Apex, N.C., found the honey brown diamond on July 31 after searching for less than 10 minutes. He named it God’s Glory Diamond. Park officials say the diamond is about the size of a jellybean and is the 328th diamond found this year....

4 arrested for string of armed robberiesNORTH LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Authorities said four people have been arrested in connection with a string of armed robberies of restaurants and a discount store in central Arkansas and the attempted armed robbery of another restaurant and a bank. U.S. Attorney Christopher Thyer, North Little Rock Police Chief Mike Davis and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Grover Crossland announced the arrests Friday. The...

Man on probation sought in county tool thefts TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) — A man performing community service work at the Miller County courthouse as part of his probation on a drug conviction is wanted for the theft of tools from the courthouse. Miller County authorities said James Orville Gates, 60, is suspected of stealing power tools from the courthouse. County Judge Larry Burgess told the Texarkana Gazette a friend of Gates’ told him she found pawn tickets for a spray painter and a sander ...

Pilgrim’s Pride to close El Dorado plant EL DORADO (AP) — Pilgrim’s Pride has announced plans to shut down its rendering plant in El Dorado that has 30 employees. Pilgrim’s Pride spokesman Cameron Bruett told the El Dorado News-Times the company is moving the production to a Pilgrim’s Pride plant in Texas. The plant closing comes after Pilgrim’s Pride shut down its poultry process plant in El Dorado in 2009 and left about 1,500 employees and 160 contract growers out of work.

Voters could see multiple marijuana proposalsLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas voters could see multiple attempts to legalize medical marijuana on the ballot next year. Two groups are vying to put similar proposed initiated acts before voters in 2014 after a push to legalize medical marijuana narrowly failed in the November 2012 general election. This week, a measure from a group called Arkansans for Responsible Medicine moved a step closer to voters when Attorney General Dustin McDaniel certi...

Police: Searcy boy drowns in swimming pool SEARCY (AP) — Searcy police said a 5-year-old died in an accidental drowning at an apartment-complex swimming pool. Police said the boy was found unresponsive Wednesday night in the pool at The Ridge at Searcy apartment complex. Authorities said the child was taken to White County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Searcy Cpl. Steve Hernandez said police are trying to determine whether the child was supervised at the time of his dea...

Inmate dies at Malvern correctional unit MALVERN (AP) — Officials said a 45-year-old inmate was found dead at the state prison in Malvern. The Arkansas Department of Correction stated Steve Oldham died Thursday night from an apparent self-inflicted wound. Agency spokeswoman Shea Wilson said Oldham cut his right wrist with a razor blade. Oldham was serving a 10-year sentence for robbery out of White County. He was being held at the Ouachita River Correctional Unit in Malvern after bei...

Man convicted of rape sentenced to 11 life terms VAN BUREN (AP) — A western Arkansas man convicted of rape has been sentenced to 11 consecutive sentences of life in prison. A Crawford County jury on Thursday convicted Earl Delmar Pigg, 49, of Van Buren on the 11 rape counts, plus a count of interfering with child custody. Pigg is to serve an additional 10 years for the latter conviction. The Southwest Times Record reported that Pigg was originally charged with 24 rape counts but prosecutors ...

Gov. Beebe names Smith state health director LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Gov. Mike Beebe has named Nathaniel Smith as director and state health officer for the Arkansas Department of Health. Beebe on Friday announced he was naming Smith permanently to the position. Smith has been serving as interim director since February, when Paul Halverson left the post to take a job in Indiana. Halverson had served as director since 2005. Beebe said in a news release that Smith had proven himself to be a stea...

School bus safety urged as students return LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Education Department is starting a program to urge motorists to be careful around school buses. Classes resume this month across the state and the department is starting a campaign on Monday called, “Flashing Red, Kids Ahead.” The three-week campaign will emphasize that it is illegal for a driver to pass a stopped school whenever its red lights are flashing and students are loading or unloading. Education Commis...

Fort Smith announces results of traffic effort FORT SMITH (AP) — Nearly 100 people were ticketed for running red lights in Fort Smith after police spent about two weeks cracking down after residents complained. Police said Thursday that 98 people were cited for red light violations between May 27 and July 7. Those citations were issued by one officer, Sgt. Greg Copeland. Copeland said 107 traffic crashes in 2012 in Fort Smith were attributed to disregarding a traffic signal. That’s equal t...

Benton County declares flooding emergency BENTONVILLE (AP) — More than a half-foot of rain fell in far northwest Arkansas and the Benton County judge has made an emergency declaration. A number of streets were closed Thursday after an estimated 7 to 10 inches of rain fell and caused flash flooding. The disaster declaration enables city governments and the county to be reimbursed for emergency responses to the flooding. Benton County Emergency Management Director Robert McGowen said cr...